[Review] Super Junior - Sexy, Free, & Single

Vocals: 7 / 10

Continuing on with the usual expectations from Super Junior’s vocals, the song is clearly dominated by Kyuhyun and Yesung. Ryeowook, who is usually also a standard in the Super Junior lineup, seems to have taken a more supportive role, only getting one main line and a few short belts in addition while Donghae seems to have stepped up via utility voice. This song sounds better with lower voices, favouring Kyuhyun, Eunhyuk, and Yesung (and Donghae’s first line), so Sungmin, Kangin, and Ryeowook seemed out of place. Siwon, Shindong, and Leeteuk received like three second lines, something I find strange since the previous releases have been a little more balanced in terms of line distribution (especially selections from the 5th album). As far as the English in the song goes, Yesung and Donghae received a majority of the English, and both of them are…well, to put it simply, pretty bad at English. Actually, all of Super Junior are pretty terrible at English…speaking of which, I think I speak for everyone in that “Sexy, free, and single I’m ready too, bingo” is probably the most pathetic line ever. They could’ve at least paused for half a second to create the space needed between “too” and “bingo” but no. And even if they did, it’d still be a terrible line. I’ll just pretend the line is “Sexy, free, and single I’m ready to mingle.”

Appearance: 8 / 10

Has Super Junior ever disappointed in looks? Not really. Has there always been one awkward man out? Pretty much. Lately, it seems Donghae and Eunhyuk are getting more and more of the spotlight while Siwon gets less and less (is this because of Siwon’s various acting roles? I pray he is not the next Kibum). That said, even with Donghae and Eunhyuk getting more screentime, the others are still minimal compared to them, especially poor Shindong. A mix of hair colours with that at least looked okay with the full group. The blondes in Sungmin, Leeteuk, and Shindong pull the look off better than Eunhyuk did, especially since two of the three have been blonde before. However, it seems once Super Junior departed from the days of “Sorry Sorry”, “Bonamana”, and “Mr. Simple”, their outfits have deteriorated quite heavily. Just look at Siwon, Kyuhyun, and Leeteuk if you really want to see.

Dance: 9 / 10

This dance is upbeat, synchronized, and catchy, nothing new in terms of Super Junior choreography for the past couple of years. Continuing off the success of past releases, there’s a visually appealing fluid dance style. There really isn’t too much to say except for how hilarious the dance is during “Sexy sexy sexy.” Highlight: Eunhyuk’s dance segment was amazing. The sliding and all that while the rest of the members stood solemnly behind him was very classy, so much so that during this clip from the music video teaser, I thought it was a rap / dance bridge segment and not a line from the verse. The clapping and snapping in tune with the instrumental was also neatly coordinated. All in all, impressive work per usual.

Music Video: 5 / 10

I am being really lenient on SM here with this score. EXO had interesting enough sets with dust particles flying around with their “Oh~ Oh~” and f(x) had uniquely coloured sets to match the style of “Electric Shock”. But Super Junior literally has a white room with a black section running across. Are you ****ting me?! This is Super Junior, one of the veterans of the Korean music industry and they get something like this? The other sets aren’t exactly revolutionary either, to be honest. But, then again, this is Super Junior, who seem to have made their new home in these fancy sets for the past three years. The saving grace for this music video is the complimentary if not controversial (Leeteuk) costumes. Other than that, it’s merely another stereotypical (and this bears negative meaning here) music video from SM. “Let your artists out of empty rooms for crying out loud.” Or, at the very least, show the members doing something interesting circa “No Other,” like picking up girls or something, any action is better than none at all.

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Overall: 72 / 100

The question with Super Junior and “Sexy, Free, & Single” isn’t whether or not the release is in the right direction, it’s where they will go from here. The 6th studio album is one with the absence of Heechul, the return of Kangin, and signifies Leeteuk’s enlistment to military service. Having already managed the departures of Han Geng and Kibum, how will the group approach the future? Maybe Kibum will come back? With repackaged release in “Spy” showing some more of retro Super Junior, stuff may be looking up.

[Review] 2NE1 - I Love You

Vocals: 10 / 10

There is a lot going on in this song in terms of vocals. Singing, repetition, rapping singing mixture, rhythm changes, etc. You’d think this mixture would result in a rushed-sounding song but 2NE1 does a really nice job of creating flow between the verses, bridge, and chorus. Besides, it’s hard to go wrong when you have one of the best utility voices in Korea (Dara) who is also a master of the rapping singing mix, second to Big Bang’s G-Dragon. Park Bom’s extremely unique voice continues to shine but I’d like to see more variation in her lines in the future. Minzy and CL are pretty much perfect throughout the whole song, no complaints. I do have problems with the static “Hey” and other assorted noises in the background throughout the song, but it’s not enough to keep me from giving 2NE1 a perfect score for their singing.

Appearance: 9 / 10

Almost no letdowns here. Everyone is rocking the looks and rocking them extremely well. CL has been blonde for such a long time running now that my memory struggles to remember what she looked like before going blonde. I have this conflict of opinions in which I cannot decide whether Bom is just really pretty or that her doll-like face is almost scary. Minzy’s various colours worked nicely (even purple). Dara is the star of the show, shaving half your head has never looked so good, and pink is easily her colour. The hairstyle at the rap / end of the video was also amazing. The one disappointment? Minzy’s Egyptian throwback hairstyle. There are some girls who can pull off that sort of short hair style where their forehead is covered, but Minzy is not one of them.

Dance: 8 / 10

For the short dance to go along with the rap at the end, 2NE1 does a good job. It’s a very frantic, upbeat, and hair-flipping choreography that matches well with the hype and loud / muffled rapping. Rather than merely highlighting Minzy, there is a lot of individual movement but nice group presentation altogether. The idea of using shadows was a little strange since the buildup consisted of lights turning on…

Rap: 8 / 10

Whereas the previous slower ballads of “Lonely” and “Ugly” did not have a rap, this similar styled song, “I Love You” does, and is a welcome addition to the song. This is what I love about YG! They know CL is such a powerful rapper and singer so they find ways to incorporate both into their music. It appears at the rising crescendo at the end, is short, sweet, and to the point. The rap is a little repetitive though, in contrast to the mixture of explosive vocals, and for the majority of it being in English, the last Korean line is just a reword, kinda weird. Dara (another excellent rapper) also provides some background rap during Bom’s vocal version.

Music Video: 8 / 10

This is a tame music video by 2NE1’s standards (think “Lonely”). No extremely bright lights, ridiculous sets or crazy costumes (for the most part). While the members are very frequently in various locations and sets throughout the music video, there is some flow: from the bedroom to the hallways, into the car out onto the streets, inside another building, etc. which smoothens out the quick transitions. Additionally, the sleet-like weather appearing at the beginning of the first chorus is consistent and seems to increase in severity throughout the rest of the music video, something often overlooked in others (Big Bang’s “Bad Boy”). There are some issues though. Awkward lipsyncing is seen (most evident in Minzy and Bom), which is a rare occurrence for 2NE1. Soft singing isn’t necessarily characterized by minimal lip movement but there are times where the lips don’t match the words at all. There are shots of members while they’re clearly singing in the song but they’re not in the music video, which is bizarre in my opinion. Also, did anyone else find the segments where CL and Minzy are dancing by themselves awkward? Minzy’s set I can understand to some extent since she is by herself but CL is doing a suggestive dance…to an empty chair. EXO’s Kai danced with a invisible person in a teaser, and now it seems he was sitting in the chair in front of CL. Stuff will get really suspicious if CL starts playing invisible instruments.

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Overall: 86 / 100

Honestly, I love this song. I feel the score reflects too lowly on the overall song but perhaps that’s just because the rap and dance are very short and shouldn’t be weighed as heavily as the vocals, appearance, and music video (a removal of said sections would result in a 27 / 30 score). Dara is unmistakably the highlight of this song and proves it. All in all it’s another standout song from 2NE1 to add to their collection. “I said yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah~”

[Review] JJ Project - Bounce

Vocals: 7 / 10

Let me start by talking about the vocal ranges of the two. Jr., the rapper has a higher voice than JB, and while JB does do 90% of the singing, Jr. also adds some voice of his own in the chorus and bridge. High voiced rappers are a little mediocre but we’ll reference at a later and more appropriate time. JB’s voice is good. Not spectacular, but still good. All of his lines were comfortably within his range, and while there was some utility shown in the rock and roll themed bridge, there were no real opportunities to show off, so we don’t really know what he’s truly capable of. Hopefully future releases will be able to compliment JB’s voice the same amount as this song did to Jr.’s rap in this song.

Appearance: 8 / 10

Honestly there is not much to say regarding looks of these two, following JYP’s (read: KPop’s) standards of attractive people in the entertainment industry. The hairstyles are not extreme (although you could expect so from a school setting) so the two blend into the crowd. JB’s pink mix with blonde is interesting, definitely not something I see other singers pulling off so props to him. Also something to note: there were no hairstyle changes throughout the music video, only costume switches. Speaking of which, their outfits are also not anything amazing, which matches their schoolboy appearance and subsequently the MV set location.

Dance: 9 / 10

I love this choreography, partially because it is reminiscent of 2PM’s early stuff and I miss seeing variety. Also, this dance absolutely destroys anything 2TVXQ had (at least for now, S.M. may surprise me). Rather than having two people dance awkwardly next to each other, Jr. and JB do interact with some of the choreography (moreso towards the end but something is better than nothing) and the backup dancers also do a nice job. The dance strongly compliments the frantic upbeat mood of the song and is just straightforward and catchy. I found Jr. a little awkward during the bridge since JB was the only one singing, so maybe something should’ve been worked out there, but nonetheless excellent presentation and strong choice.

Rap: 10 / 10

Although this rap is definitely not something amazing and not something terrible, Jr. shows everyone that he is certainly capable. Ignoring the voice range I mentioned earlier, Jr. keeps a fast pace throughout the entire song. Keep in mind that the entirety of both verses are rap, and not a single line feels out of place. JB also chimes in every so often to throw the classic “repeat after me” bit to Jr.’s game. While very simple, it’s a rap scheme / style I’ve rarely seen in other duos (TVXQ) and is a welcome twist from JJ Project. Add some extra English words here and there and you have a traditional JYP rap. Along with B.A.P.’s Bang Yong Guk and EXO-K’s Chanyeol, I believe Jr. is a new rookie has earned a respectable slot of rappers I genuinely like and I am excited to see more of Jr. in the future.

Music Video: 9 / 10

Another lovely music video from JYP, who would have thought? Starts with the “JYP whisper, and then proceeds to the classroom / school setting that I’ve mentioned. JB and Jr. rally up everyone else to go crazy and just bounce. While there are shots and pieces of them dancing in a room, it’s a basketball court / gymnasium which happens to be something at a school. The duo are also seen trekking through the hallways and eventually make their way outside to go crazy some more with everyone joining in on the fun. Furthermore the rock and roll scene also has guitarists and drummers in the background, which actually match the theme (I’m looking at you, “Twinkle”). Similar to “Like This”, this music video encourages the audience to participate with the performers rather than merely aside them. Extra shots of people breakdancing and even some parkour are also thrown in which is a smooth touch.

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Overall: 86 / 100

The new group on the block showed up in full force. Catchy song, good rapping, matching dance and music video. I want to note that this song really doesn’t feel like a JYP production (LOL), if not for the signature whisper at the beginning of the song I’d have never guessed the two were under JYP. The song mixes multiple genres together – rap, electronic, R&B, rock & roll – in fact it almost seems hashed together / cluttered but the transitions are actually really solid and is very new and experimental, which really isn’t JYP’s style. All in all this song impressed me and hopefully you felt the same.

[Review] f(x) - Electric Shock

Vocals: 9 / 10

So S.M. finally decided to show Amber some love and gave her singing lines! What a pleasant surprise! Sulli and Victoria’s vocals continue to improve and refine, and Krystal’s is nothing short of fantastic. All in all, nothing I haven’t already seen or heard from the three. And I already knew Amber had a good singing voice, anyway. Luna was right in the middle, honestly. No high belts or strong segments but nothing too lackluster either. Lots of variation in lines between the members, especially with all five singing. Is it strange that I thought Luna’s “I’m in shock, electric shock” sounded better than Krystal’s, even though Krystal is the fluent English speaker? Throw in the other random bits of English like “energy / lazer / synergy” and you have a standard f(x) song. This is right up f(x)’s alley and so was executed superbly.

Appearance: 10 / 10

For such a vivid MV with all the flashing lights and electricity theme, the mix of hair colours on everyone was a very strong choice. The vivid makeup complimented nicely. f(x) continues to shine with bright vivid outfits and mostly neat design. The blue lenses were kinda strange, but some members pulled it off better than others, so I will give them that. I liked Krystal’s hair and variations, and you can see that she’s matured since the last time they were on stage. Luna has finally gotten rid of the blonde and gone brunette and my God she looks amazing. Now if only she could go back to black… Sulli and Amber aren’t really anything new minus the additional hair colours and all that, which is to say the former is adorable and the latter tomboyish, so no complaints there. Lastly—ALL HAIL QUEEN VICTORIA. ALL HAIL QUEEN VICTORIA. ALL HAIL QUEEN VICTORIA.

P.S. I have come to realize Luna has gone from black (La Cha Ta, Chu~), to brown (NU ABO), to blonde (Pinocchio, Hot Summer), now back to brown. Could black hair be up next?!?!

Dance: 8 / 10

Mixed choreography is always something I love to see, but that’s usually with larger groups like After School or Super Junior, since with smaller groups look great with tight synchronization. Nonetheless, the dance during Krystal’s opening lines and choreography were really neat. Everything else was some standard choreography for f(x). I am still waiting for either Luna and Victoria or even Amber to have a dance break in some release, since both are solid dancers. However, SHINee barely gives Taemin dance breaks so I know I’ll be waiting for a while. The “NANANANANA” / chorus choreography is the best of the entire song and is really catchy and easy to pickup.

Music Video: 7 / 10

I already saw in the MV highlight video that this MV was going to be nothing new, so whatever. Dancing in a empty fancy set with various solo shots and etc. Nothing deviating from the standard of f(x) (read: SM) videos but I definitely did not expect the random tasers showing up so you know, people try new things sometimes. Nothing else I can comment on, generic MV is generic, although the bridge with Victoria just lying on the ground was rather…strange. There was also one set where the room was just white, which I found out of place with the other bright and flashy sets. And for the love of God, S.M., take out those damn smartphone app advertisements!

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Overall: 86 / 100

I believe this hype / dance song would’ve benefited from a good rap from Amber, but that’s equivalent to flipping a coin (or worse yet). In the end though I guess I’d rather have Amber singing with no rapping than Amber singing with bad rapping. All in all, S.M. seems to remember what f(x) is good at performing, and hopefully future releases will have the same familiar sound and power of “Electric Shock”. 

[Review] Wonder Girls - Like This

Vocals: 9 / 10

The variation in vocals of the Wonder Girls has always impressed me, just within the last couple of releases. “Be My Baby” had Sohee and Hye Lim with verses and Sunye and Ye Eun on chorus, and now it’s Hye Lim and Sunye with verses and Sohee and Ye Eun on the bridge (since the chorus is everyone). I would like to see some Yubin lines in the future, because I’m assuming she’s had some vocal training. Other than that, a solid performance by everyone.

Appearance: 7 / 10

Sohee and Yubin are looking per usual, which is to say, very good. Hye Lim’s hairstyle is new and looks much better without bangs, and the mix of colours are unique. Sunye and Yenny… Sunye, we know you can pull the rather bizarre styles but this is a little much, especially with the crimson red. I will say you own this colour better than Tiffany, so at least there’s that. Ye Eun though, please go back to long hair, you look so much prettier and elegant, and I think the colour would look nice on you. Additionally, the set “costumes” aren’t really costumes at all, and appeal to everyday choices of clothing, making the members blend in with the flashmob crowd even more, extremely nice touch.

Dance: 8 / 10

This dance is cute, quirky, and sometimes random, which is quite fitting for something flashmob themed. The leg shaking / shuffling I find especially hilarious, reminding me of something like a duck walk. Not much more needs to be said, I loved all the backup dancers. All the participants did a great job, too. The choreography incorporated everyone into the song, as opposed to having some backup dancers behind the Wonder Girls.

Rap: 8 / 10

Yubin’s voice is perfect for rap, low and hot. This rap in particular doesn’t quite showcase the talent as it’s both slower and more repetitive than previous raps, but given the rest of the song, it’s a positive addition to the song (and subsequently doesn’t make Yubin awkwardly left out). I’d be interested in how the English version would sound, if one will exist.

Music Video: 10 / 10

Flashmob themed song has a flashmob themed music video, who would have thought? I love the use of the hundreds and hundreds of participants as backup dancers / flashmob members, especially with the variation in characters: young children to the elderly. Shots where the Wonder Girl members are actually dancing right there along with people were a very smooth touch. All in all, one of the best complimentary music videos I have seen in some time.

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Overall: 84 / 100

"Like This" may not have too high of a overall score, but it’s still ridiculously catchy in both the lyrics and dance, and the music video is very fun to watch. I know I’ll be humming and singing "Like This" for some time.